14 DAY TRIAL // We have recently reported that rumors floating around the Web pointed towards the fact that Google plans to accept paid apps on its Andoid Market as soon as this week. Well, it seems that those rumors were true after all, as a recent post on the Android Developers blog officially announced the move. Moreover, the post says that users in the United States will be able to acquire such applications starting next week.
“I'm pleased to announce that Android Market is now accepting priced applications from US and UK developers. Developers from these countries can go to the publisher website at http://market.android.com/publish to upload their application(s) along with end user pricing for the apps. Initially, priced applications will be available to end users in the US starting mid next week. We will add end user support for additional countries in the coming months.” states Eric Chu, Android Mobile Platform, in the blog post.
The announcement continues by explaining that the Android Market will also receive apps from developers in Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, France, and Spain in the first quarter of 2009. Moreover, it seems that additional countries are also targeted, and the developers plan to make further announcements in the area by the end of this quarter.
The payment and billing mechanism for Android Market will be provided via Google Checkout. Developers will be able to sign up for a Google Checkout account, in case they do not have one already, through the publisher website. More information about priced applications in Android Market is available for developers on the publisher website as well.
In addition, the Android Market for free applications is slated to become available in Australia starting February 15th Pacific Time, as well as in Singapore in the next weeks. Developers that would like to make their apps available in these countries should also go to the publisher website to do so.